Trump Not Seeking Ceasefire w/ Israel, Iran as He Rushes to White House

Headline USA Editor
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Trump Not Seeking Ceasefire w/ Israel, Iran as He Rushes to White House

(, The Center Square) After leaving the G7 summit ahead of schedule, President Donald Trump quashed any talk of trying to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One early Tuesday morning he wasn’t looking for a ceasefire but is seeking “a real end” with the Islamic Republic “giving up entirely” on their nuclear weapons.

The president underscored previous comments regarding Iran not having nuclear weapons.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple – you don’t have to go too deep into it. They just can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters.

The president called out French President Emmanuel Macron for falsely claiming Trump was headed back to the White House in a bid to negotiate a ceasefire.

“Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran. Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!” the president posted to Truth Social.

“I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate [with Iran],” Trump told reporters. “An end, a real end, not a ceasefire, real end.”

The president tried to quell concerns that Iran may target U.S. assets in the region, reiterating earlier warnings to the Islamic Republic.

“We’ll come down so hard, it’d be gloves off…I think they know not to touch our troops,” Trump told reporters.

The president left the door open to sending Vice President JD Vance or Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, to meet with Iranian officials.

“Depends on what happens when I get back,” Trump told reporters.

Upon returning to the White House early Tuesday morning, the president said he would head to the situation room. He argued that returning to the White House allowed him to learn more.

“Just to be a little bit, I think more well versed, not having to use telephones so much because I don’t believe in telephones, because people like you listen to them…Being on the scene is much better, and we did everything I had to do at the G7,” the president said.

The White House announced the president’s departure from the summit Monday afternoon after multiple reports claimed the U.S. was taking part in the campaign against the Islamic State.

Alex Pfeiffer, deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy communication at the White House, quickly disputed the reports.

“This is not true. American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed. We will defend American interests,” Pfeiffer posted to X.

Earlier on Monday, Trump posted an ominous message to Iran and its people, warning them to evacuate.

“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” the president posted to Truth Social.

He followed the warning with another post, reiterating that Iran should not have nuclear weapons.

“AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” he posted later.

As the conflict enters the fifth day of fighting, Israel Defense Forces announced that it had “eliminated” another top Iranian military commander.

“For the second time in 5 days – the IDF has eliminated Iran’s War-Time Chief of Staff, the regime’s top military commander. Ali Shadman, Iran’s senior-most military official and Khamenei’s closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise intelligence,” the IDF posted to X.

This is a developing story.

Israeli PM Claims Iran Was Responsible for Trump Assassination Attempts

Ken Silva
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Israeli PM Claims Iran Was Responsible for Trump Assassination Attempts

(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a recent interview on Fox News that Iran was responsible for last year assassination attempts on President Donald Trump. No public evidence exists for such a claim.

Netanyahu’s remarks come as his country continues to lobby for U.S. support in its escalating war against Iran. Netanyahu reportedly told Fox News’s Bret Baier on Sunday that Iran “tried to assassinate President Trump twice.”

When Baier pressed him on that statement, Netanyahu said the following: “Through proxies, yes. They want to kill him. He’s enemy number one. He’s a decisive leader,” the Israeli PM said, citing Trump cancelling the Obama-negotiated nuclear deal, as well as his assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. “They also tried to kill me, but I’m his junior partner.”

There were two serious assassination attempts against Trump last year—one in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, and another at his Palm Beach golf course on Sept. 15—as well as a series of threats on his life.

The gunman in the Butler shooting, Thomas Crooks, has no known connections to Iran. Furthermore, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, both staunch Zionists, have also said there is no foreign connection to Butler. Furthermore, the FBI used the Israeli spyware firm Cellebrite to access Crooks’s electronic devices—so presumably the Israelis would know if any Iranian connections existed.

The other gunman, Ryan Routh, does have connections to Iranians via Ukraine, where he travelled to in 2022 after Russia invaded. In his self-published book, Routh talks about trying to obtain a visa to Iran to protest there.

“My most amazing engineer and partner with the drones was from Iran and one of the nicest young college students that tried to help me get a visa was from Iran,” Routh wrote in his book, which he self-published in 2023.

However, those Iranians may have been U.S. assets, given their participation in the West’s war against Russia. Moreover, Routh identified his “best partner” in Ukraine as an Israeli Jew.

“My best partner in Ukraine was a Jew from Israel and the hardest working, most giving person on the planet,” Routh said.

Along with Crooks and Routh, the Justice Department announced two cases last year involving purported Iranian plots to kill Trump.

One case involved a Pakistani man, Asif Merchant, trying to hire two undercover FBI agents who were posing as “hitmen.” The Merchant case looks similar to the supposed 2022 Iran plot to kill former national security adviser John Bolton. In that case, the FBI claimed that a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps–Qods Force tried assassinating Bolton—but the Iranian was never confirmed to be an IRGC-QF member, and the “assassin” he was trying to hire was an FBI informant.

Merchant has been held in solitary confinement since July 12.

In the other supposed Trump assassination conspiracy case, one of the defendants, Farhad Shakeri, who’s residing in Iran, told the FBI in a phone interview that his government was plotting against Trump.

While Shakeri is one of the defendants, the government’s criminal complaint shows that he appears to have been snitching to the FBI in recent months. According to the charging papers, Shakeri participated in phone interviews with the FBI from Iran on Sept. 30, Oct. 8, Oct. 17, Oct. 28 and Nov. 7—ostensibly trading information in exchange for a sentence reduction for an unidentified individual.

The FBI admitted in the charging papers that Shakeri is a liar, but said his claims about Trump “appear to be truthful.” Shakeri is still in Iran.

Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

Vietnam Central Bank Set to End Gold Import Monopoly

Money Metals News Service
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Vietnam Central Bank Set to End Gold Import Monopoly

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) The Vietnamese gold market is about to undergo significant reforms that could boost competition, lower prices, and increase supply.

A government decree will open the door for eligible banks and enterprises to import gold into the country and produce bullion. Currently, the Saigon Jewelry Company Limited (SJC) enjoys a monopoly on the importation of gold and the production of gold bars.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) granted the gold monopoly to SJC under Decree 24/2012/ND-CP, issued in 2012. SBV director Đào Xuân Tuấn recently announced that the central bank is in the process of amending the decree to end the monopoly.

“The SBV will issue licenses to the credit institutions and enterprises meeting requirements to import raw gold to produce bullion, or use the imported material to produce jewelry.”

According to Vietnam News, the goal is to dismantle the monopoly while maintaining the state’s regulatory and supervisory role.

According to Tuấn, the State Bank of Vietnam will grant import quotas based on “macroeconomic conditions, monetary policy, and market fluctuations.” However, the move should expand choices for consumers, and it could increase the supply of gold flowing into the country. The Vietnam News reported, “Allowing multiple bullion brands is expected to create a more competitive marketplace, narrow price differentials between brands and ultimately benefit consumers.”

Officials also say the move should increase the availability of raw gold in the country.

Licensed bullion producers will be required to publicly declare quality standards and maintain detailed transaction records.

The new rules will increase reporting requirements, mandating that all gold sales be made through a bank account and accompanied by electronic invoices. Transactions of VNĐ20 million or more will be required to be made through a customer’s payment account and the payment account of the gold trading enterprise opened at a commercial bank or a foreign bank branch.

A large percentage of Vietnam’s population owns gold to preserve wealth and hedge against inflation. It is also culturally important, playing a role in weddings and festivals. While the government tightly controls the gold market, there is a significant underground gold economy to meet demand.

Last year, Vietnam Gold Traders Association vice-chairman Huynh Trung Khanh said gold bars have become the “major channel of investment in Vietnam.”

Currency depreciation is a significant problem in the Southeast Asian country. The dong lost about 10 percent of its value compared to the dollar since the tail-end of the pandemic.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Survey Indicates Central Banks Plan to Keep Buying Gold

Money Metals News Service
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Survey Indicates Central Banks Plan to Keep Buying Gold

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) Central banks have gobbled up over 1,000 tonnes of gold for three straight years, and most central bankers think the buying trend will continue.

Last year was the third-largest expansion of central bank gold reserves on record, coming in just 6.2 tonnes lower than in 2023 and 91 tonnes lower than the all-time high set in 2022. (1,136 tonnes). 2022 was the highest level of net purchases on record, dating back to 1950, including since the suspension of dollar convertibility into gold in 1971.

To put that into context, central bank gold reserves increased by an average of just 473 tonnes annually between 2010 and 2021.

Looking at the broader perspective, the central bank gold buying trend is now entering its 16th year.

Based on the World Gold Council’s annual Central Bank Gold Survey, it appears the buying trend will continue.

Of the 73 central banks that responded to the survey, 95 percent said they believe central bank gold reserves will increase over the next 12 months. A record 43 percent of the respondents indicated they expect their own gold reserves to expand. That was up from 29 percent in 2024.

It was the largest number of central banks to ever respond to the World Gold Council survey. The WGC said the increase in participation isn’t just about a number.

“It is a powerful signal of engagement with gold amongst the central banking community.”

Seventy-six percent of the respondents said they think gold will hold a (moderately or significantly) higher share of total reserves five years from now, up from 69 percent last year.

“Expectations point to continued gold buying over the next 12 months, reflecting sustained confidence in gold’s strategic role amid evolving geopolitical and macroeconomic dynamics.”

What Is Gold Replacing?

Gold has already overtaken the euro as the world’s number two reserve. But it’s not so much that gold is replacing the euro. The EU currency’s share of global reserves has remained relatively steady.

Gold is usurping the dollar.

According to recently released IMF data, the dollar’s share of global reserve currencies slid further in 2024. As of the end of last year, dollars made up 57.8 percent of global reserves. That is the lowest level since 1994, representing a 7.3 percent decline in the last decade. In 2002, dollars accounted for about 72 percent of total reserves.

World Gold Council survey respondents think this trend will continue, with 73 percent saying they expect their dollar reserves to decline even more in the next five years.

CNBC recently pointed out that gold has been increasingly attractive to countries “concerned about sanctions and the potential erosion of the role of major currencies in the international monetary system.”

In other words, they are trying to shield themselves from the weaponization and depreciation of the dollar.

Survey respondents also indicated that the share of other currencies in the reserve mix, such as the euro and renminbi, would increase along with gold.

Why Gold?

Central bankers who responded to the survey indicated that the level of interest rates was the most important factor dictating reserve management decisions. Inflation concerns came in as the second-most important driver.

Central banks in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDE) have driven the recent central bank gold rush. Of the EMDE banks that responded to the survey, the top two reasons for gold buying were inflation (84 percent) and geopolitical concerns (84 percent).

The survey also asked bankers to rank the relevance of various factors in their decision to hold gold. The yellow metal’s performance during times of crisis was the most relevant, along with its role as an inflation hedge.

As the World Gold Council summed it up, the world is becoming increasingly volatile and unpredictable, and “diversification and risk mitigation” have become key drivers of strategic reserve management decisions.

“Gold’s safety, liquidity and return characteristics – the three key investment objectives for central banks – have risen in importance. The trends uncovered in our survey suggest that central banks continue to recognize the benefits of an allocation to gold and indicate that their demand for gold will likely remain healthy for the foreseeable future.”

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Watchdog: Millionaires Enrolled in Medicaid, Costing America Billions

Headline USA Editor
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Watchdog: Millionaires Enrolled in Medicaid, Costing America Billions

(Tom Joyce, The Center Square) It’s not just lower-income people or those with disabilities using Medicaid in the United States.

A new investigation led by the Patient First Coalition found that tens of thousands of wealthy people remain enrolled in Medicaid, the taxpayer-funded health insurance program meant for low-income and disabled Americans.

It’s an issue happening nationwide, the report said, though Ohio, Arizona, and South Carolina represent some of the more egregious examples. The issue is costing American taxpayers over $200 billion annually, the Patient First Coalition says.

Shannon Burns, a senior advisor with the group, told The Center Square in a phone interview that, “What we’re looking at is not reform. This is just simply asking the federal government to enforce the law.”

Burns is referring to the Medicaid Extenders Act of 2019. The bipartisan law requires states to verify people’s Medicaid eligibility.

In Ohio, the Department of Medicaid checked the assets of a sample of ABD (Aged, blind, and disabled) enrollees. However, it found that over 10,000 millionaires were improperly enrolled in the program, according to the Patient First Coalition. The same is true for around 8,000 people in South Carolina and over 20,000 in Arizona.

That’s the case even though Ohio and Arizona have Medicaid asset limits of $2,000. A Medicaid asset limit is the maximum value of assets an individual can own to qualify for Medicaid.

Additionally, Ohio only had its contractor, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, examine 56% of the files, according to Patient First Coalition. Only a quarter of enrollees were checked in Arizona and South Carolina — and only for liquid assets, as was the case in Ohio.

“This contractor only looked for the presence of liquid assets in U.S. bank accounts with routing numbers,” Burns said. “They didn’t look at second homes, luxury cars, or even stocks.”

So far, no members of Congress have launched a national oversight investigation into the matter. Yet, the Patient First Coalition is calling for one, and Burns said just one inquiry could expose a massive scandal.

“The #MedicaidMillionaires scandal clearly demonstrates an immediate need for congressional intervention,” Burns said in a statement. “The extensive systemic fraud identified in South Carolina and Ohio represents a unique opportunity to recover over $200 billion annually. Congress must act swiftly to eliminate this widespread abuse by throwing millionaires off Medicaid, ensuring Medicaid serves only those who truly need assistance.”

Burns added that some state Medicaid officials claimed the Biden administration discouraged disenrollment, keeping people on the rolls even if they didn’t qualify for Medicaid.

“This isn’t waste, fraud, and abuse,” Burns said. “This is a system that’s designed to steal the money from those that actually need it.”

The Patient First Coalition is urging Congress to take action.

It wants a full 50-state audit of Medicaid eligibility vendors, enforcement of the 2019 Medicaid Extenders Act, and hearings on the scope of the fraud. They’re also calling on the Congressional Budget Office to update its scoring to reflect the billions in potential savings so that recovered funds can be redirected to support Trump’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill.”

Trump: ‘Everyone Should Immediately Evacuate Tehran’

Headline USA Editor
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Trump: ‘Everyone Should Immediately Evacuate Tehran’

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) President Trump on Monday appeared to threaten Iran, writing on his Truth Social account that Iran should have signed a “deal” and calling for the “immediate” evacuation of the Iranian capital of Tehran, a city of about 10 million people.

“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” the president wrote.

He made the threat while attending the G7 summit in Canada. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said after Trump’s post that the president would be leaving the summit “because of what’s going on in the Middle East.” According to media reports, the president ordered his National Security Council to convene in the Situation Room at the White House for an emergency meeting.

US officials have denied rumors that the US began striking Iran and have said that the US remains in a “defensive posture” in the Middle East.

Trump’s post came after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that he ordered the deployment of additional US capabilities to the Middle East. US officials confirmed that a massive deployment of tanker aircraft was related to the Israel-Iran war, and the US also redirected a second aircraft carrier to the region.

Sources familiar with the matter have told Antiwar.com Editorial Director Scott Horton that the Trump administration is poised to enter Israel’s aggressive war against Iran directly by launching airstrikes, which will almost certainly provoke attacks on US bases in the region.

Israel started bombing Iran on Friday, two days before the US and Iran were due to hold another round of nuclear negotiations. Trump had been demanding Iran eliminate its nuclear weapons program, which was a non-starter for Tehran. Despite the apparent impasse, Iran was set to present a counter-proposal to the US, but the talks were canceled after Israel launched its war.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched the war under the pretext of stopping Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, but it has been the consensus of the US Intelligence Community that there was no evidence Tehran was working toward a nuclear weapon.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

Chicago Mayor Introduces ‘Reparation’ Grants for Black Residents Only

Luis Cornelio
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Chicago Mayor Introduces ‘Reparation’ Grants for Black Residents Only

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson raised eyebrows Monday by announcing a taxpayer-funded grant program for descendants of slavery — suggesting it would be reserved exclusively for black residents. 

Johnson, a far-left Democrat, unveiled the program at a Juneteenth event, framing it as part of his broader reparations agenda, launched on the same holiday last year. 

“When we talk about reparations, we are not talking about something that is far off in the distant future,” Johnson said. “There is work we can do today to repair the harms of the past and build a better future for posterity.” 

Moments later, he announced a $4.11 million grant initiative as part of that effort.  

“That is why today, in collaboration with the Department of Planning and Development under the leadership of Commissioner Sier Boatright, we are proud to announce a historic $4 million investment into community wealth building in the greatest city in the world, the city of Chicago,” he added. 

The program offers grants of up to $500,000 for what Johnson called community investment and worker cooperative initiatives. 

“It will fund community-driven wealth-building models, designed by the very communities that they serve, with up to $500,000 in capital grants per project and $3.5 million reserved for shared ownership models,” he claimed. “The investment will put economic power directly in the hands of the community that have been affected by historic slavery. 

Johnson concluded his remarks with a defiant defense: “The impact of this initiative will be momentous. Investing in black is not a criminal act … I’m going to say it again, investing in black is not a criminal act.”  

Johnson’s comments come roughly a year after he signed an executive order creating a “Black Reparation Task Force” to study policies that have harmed black Chicagoans since the slavery era in the U.S. 

He was elected mayor in 2023, replacing Lori Lightfoot, who failed to qualify for the runoff that year. 

Trump Calls Out ‘Kooky’ Carlson as MAGA Splits over Iran

Luis Cornelio
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Trump Calls Out ‘Kooky’ Carlson as MAGA Splits over Iran

(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) The rift in the conservative movement over the Israel-Iran war boiled over when President Donald Trump publicly scolded Tucker Carlson as “kooky” on Monday for opposing U.S. involvement in the Middle Eastern conflict. 

Carlson, along with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., warned last week that expanding the regional conflict would only endanger innocent lives and violate America First principles, which Trump has championed.

Trump took to Truth Social to clarify his position on the war, directly mentioning Carlson. “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, ‘IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,’” Trump wrote.  

In a separate post, the president added: “AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”  

Trump’s comments come as Israel ramps up its air campaign against Iran. Some conservatives, including Carlson, have rebuked the warmongers who’ve urged Trump to bomb Iran and expand the war. On Friday, Carlson singled out Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rupert Murdoch, Ike Perlmutter and Miriam Adelson by name.

“At some point they will all have to answer for this, but you should know their names now,” Carlson wrote. 

Greene echoed Carlson’s criticism on Monday, blasting calls for escalation as anti-MAGA. 

“Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA,” Greene said. “Wishing for murder of innocent people is disgusting. We are sick and tired of foreign wars.  All of them.”  

Mark Levin—whom Carlson had called out—quickly fired back at both. 

“Who died and named Marjorie Taylor Greene the queen of MAGA?” Levin wrote. “Trump is MAGA. He received 77 million votes. You’re a little known politician from Georgia. Hate to break the news to you. We’re Team Trump. Go Trump!”  

 As for Carlson, Levin retorted: “Chatsworth Qatarlson seems to be rooting for Iran, now trashing our president, becoming increasingly unhinged.”  

Several Guns Found in Ford SUV of Minnesota Shooter

Headline USA Editor
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Several Guns Found in Ford SUV of Minnesota Shooter

(Jon Styf, The Center Square) Police found three AK-47 style rifles, a 9 mm handgun and a list of names of public officials in the Ford SUV of murder suspect Vance Boelter, according to a warrant request that was under seal until Boelter was arrested late Sunday.

Police also say they found a ballistic vest, disassembled 9mm firearm, a mask and a gold police-style badge, according to the warrant.

That warrant was released after Boelter was detained in the woods near Green Isle, Minnesota, following what Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called a “complex and dangerous manhunt.”

Boelter is accused of dressing as a police officer and shooting and killing House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband.

Boelter is accused of first going to the nearby home of State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and shooting both him and his wife.

The Hoffman’s daughter, Hope, had called 911 and reported the shooting.

Brooklyn Park Police then sent officers to the Hortmans’ home, where they saw the suspect, with the same Ford SUV, shoot Hortmans’ husband.

After exchanging fire with police, Boelter escaped the area and the manhunt began.

“Boelter exploited the trust our uniforms are meant to represent,” Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said in a Sunday night press conference.

Hundreds of Immigration Charges Filed Including Against Women Assaulting Officers

Headline USA Editor
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Hundreds of Immigration Charges Filed Including Against Women Assaulting Officers

(Bethany Blankley, The Center Square) Hundreds of immigration charges were filed in the Southern District of Texas, including against a woman assaulting and threatening federal agents.

In one week, 332 people were charged; 205 people were charged with illegal entry; 109 with felony illegal reentry after previously being deported. Most arrested have prior felony convictions and charges; 10 cases involve human smuggling.

Among those arrested was Mexican national Maria Isabel Cruz-Salas, living in the border town of San Benito in the Rio Grande Valley. While authorities conducted a worksite enforcement operation at Taqueria El Mante, an ICE Homeland Security Investigations agent attempted to detain her and she kicked him in the face, according to the charges. If convicted, she faces up to eight years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

In another case, a San Antonio woman, Michelle Lee Varela, was taken into custody after allegedly threatening an ICE-HSI agent while performing his duties. According to the charges, while authorities were conducting an immigration action and requested information from Varela about her husband’s status in the U.S., she “allegedly used profanity and said if her husband was taken into custody, she would shoot them.”

Law enforcement officials “advised her to consider her remarks as she had just threatened a federal agent, but she continued in an elevated voice and a threatening tone,” according to the complaint.

The charges state that on June 4, she “influenced, impeded or retaliated against a federal officer by threat and used interstate communications to transmit a threat to injure another,” specifically threatening ICE-HIS agents on a cell phone.

If convicted, she faces up to 10 and five years, respectively, in federal prison for the threat and interstate communications charges and up to a $250,000 fine.

“The Southern District of Texas takes allegations of threatened violence against law enforcement very seriously,” U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said. “Immigration authorities must be able to carry out their lawful duties free from violence or threats, and those that attempt to obstruct or harm such agents will be held accountable.”

Also among those charged were Mexican nationals Paulina Lopez-Bello and Juan Eliud Calva-Lopez, who allegedly used fraudulent lawful permanent resident cards and Social Security documents to secure employment in the U.S. They allegedly paid $300 for the fake identification, investigators found. If convicted on fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents charges, they face up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Another Mexican national illegally living in the border town of Mission, Texas, Roberto Carlos Moncada-Pena, faces human smuggling charges. He was first encountered during a traffic stop when law enforcement officials discovered three illegal foreign nationals in his vehicle. After searching his apartment, another 10 illegal foreign nationals were found. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

In other cases, four Mexican nationals were sentenced for illegal reentry and other crimes. One of them, Josue Rodriguez-Rodriguez, was illegally living in Houston after having been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and removed from the country 10 times. He faces an additional 69 months in prison and removal for the 11th time after his sentence is complete. His criminal convictions include aggravated assault-family violence and possession with intent to deliver or manufacture a controlled substance. He was first removed from the country 25 years ago.

The other Mexican nationals sentenced for felony reentry were previously removed and have felony convictions including evading arrest with a motor vehicle, methamphetamine distribution, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and aggravated assault family violence. Their sentences ranged between 21 and 57 months in prison.

In another case, four men in Houston were found guilty of a large-scale mail theft and credit card fraud scheme. One of them was a 64-year-old Nigerian man illegally living in Houston. He and others involved contacted financial institutions to activate stolen credit cards sent through the mail and used them to purchase goods, services, gift cards, cash and merchandise at retail stores. They fraudulently activated at least 120 stolen credit cards, causing an estimated $1 million in losses to Chase Bank, according to the charges. The Nigerian faces removal after completing his two-year prison sentence.

Multiple authorities were involved in the cases, including ICE-HSI, ICE-ERO, Border Patrol, the DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, as well as state and local law enforcement partners.

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